LDC Top 50 2024
Vanessa Leach
Managing Director
Tute Education
Vanessa Leach became a teacher to make a difference. “I want every child to achieve their potential,” she explains. She started her career teaching Welsh, breathing new life into the vulnerable language by achieving a huge increase in kids choosing a Welsh GCSE at her school. She joined Tute Education in 2013 and saw an opportunity to make an even bigger impact.
“We provide online lessons for students who can’t access mainstream education,” she explains. “This year, we’ll teach 6,000 students, many with special educational needs and disabilities.” Since 2018, revenues have grown tenfold, and profit is up 5x. “I have huge ambitions for this business.”
We are a lifeline for many of our students and their parents tell us that Tute has been life-changing.”
Q&A
Where does your desire to make an impact come from?
I grew up in challenging circumstances, receiving free school meals and navigating a turbulent childhood. While there were some opportunities in school, the support I needed to reach my full potential wasn’t fully there. At Tute, we help children who face barriers to learning in mainstream education to reach their potential, which means they can then become a productive part of society. We are a lifeline for many of our students and their parents tell us that Tute has been life changing.
How do you teach kids who have been branded “unteachable”?
We have built an engaging platform that uses lots of different ways to communicate and engage, such as chat and polls and emojis. Our qualified teachers receive rigorous training in how to get the best out of our students, who may be poor communicators – we don’t talk about bad ‘behaviour’ here. We group young people together so quieter students will study in one session and those with specific needs can learn in another.
Where is growth coming from?
Today, 0.26 million students in the education system are recognised as having social, emotional or mental health needs. Between 2021 and 2023 there has been a 44% increase in permanent exclusions. These students have limited alternatives, and we offer them a valuable opportunity to engage and excel where other options fall short. We will grow by expanding our reach and enhancing our service, addressing the unmet needs in the market. With one in five young people now having a probable mental disorder, there is significant demand for what we offer and we’re aiming for a turnover of £20m in three to four years while staying true to our vision.
